xiii, 306 pages : 24 cm

"Formal systems that describe computations over syntactic structures occur frequently in computer science. Logic programming provides a natural framework for encoding and animating such systems. However, these systems often embody variable binding, a notion that must be treated carefully at a computational level. This book aims to show that a programming language based on a simply typed version of higher-order logic provides an elegant, declarative means for providing such a treatment. Three broad topics are covered in pursuit of this goal. First, a proof-theoretic framework that supports a general view of logic programming is identified. Second, an actual language called [Lambda]Prolog is developed by applying this view to higher-order logic. Finally, a methodology for programming with specifications is exposed by showing how several computations over formal objects such as logical formulas, functional programs, and [lambda]-terms and [pi]-calculus expressions can be encoded in [Lambda]Prolog"--Provided by publisher

Includes bibliographical references (pages 289-299) and index

Introduction -- 1. First-order terms and representations of data -- 2. First-order horn clauses -- 3. First-order hereditary Harrop formulas -- 4. Typed [lambda] terms and formulas -- 5. Using quantification at higher-order types -- 6. Mechanisms for structuring large programs -- 7. Computations over [lambda]-terms -- 8. Unification of [lambda]-terms -- 9. Implementing proof systems -- 10. Computations over functional programs -- 11. Encoding a process calculus language -- Appendix: The Teyjus system

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